Wedding Planning

History of Bridesmaids

A simple but impressive rustic wedding theme

Everything down to the bamboo plates, wooden table numbers, and burlap seats sings woodsy rustic in this impressive DIY wedding.

Those of you planning fall weddings will find plenty of inspiration here. Leaf tagged mason jars, tree-themed programs, ribbons softening a burlap edge, neutral colors. Here's what we particularly love about it and what sang out to us.

Covering benches with burlap is so simple and inexpensive but so effective. Tie with a co-ordinated ribbon for a pretty detail.

We love the raised wooden platform and the simple, draped arch behind the bride and groom.

Being rustic is also thinking sustainable and these bamboo plates fit the bill, besides fitting in with the color thing that's going on. Also the wooden knife and fork set

Possibly our favourite thing are the mason jars, tagged with leaves. Something you really can prepare in advance, writing the labels and what a beautiful favor they make. (You can find similiar leaves on Etsy here.)

Also we've loving the overhead paper flowers festooning the trees. Here's a handy tutorial to watch on how to make them.

Whilst we love burlap, you need to be sure you don't make it too much of a good thing. Burlap tablecloths would have been a tad too much - we like the classic white used here.

The simple calligraphy on the wedding programs - on recycled paper.

The sweetie table and neutrally frosted wedding cakes

The setting. What could be better for a rustic wedding like this than to be married under the branches of a forest?

We love the way this bride put her stamp on her wedding day! Not only did she choose a color combo that you might not immediately think of for a wedding - a vibrant green with orange flowers - but she put her bridesmaids in COWBOY boots. Which looked completely fabulous. (You can find similiar green bridesmaid frocks at Dessy here.)

Showing off your originality on your wedding day is SO important. And don't her maids look so happy!

We also like the orange blooms she chose, which worked with the green to perfection. Love the orange gerberas. They're fun, informal and just match up so well with the cowboy boot thing going on.

And yet, there's a nice formality here too in the bridegroom's suit. And like the fact that he chose a white tie to match the bride's dress, rather than orange or green, which we think would have been a little too much of a good thing.

And also like the simply decorated cake, with a few orange gerberas placed on top.

Weddings don't have to be ornate or overdone to be perfect.

The fun of this wedding just shines through on these wedding photographs. Looks like everyone had just the best time.

The bride had a few other clever ideas too.

Guests could pick up mini bottles of champagne - so stylish and a great way to personalise your big day.

Sometimes brides overthink wedding favors and spend far too much money and time on them. Really, wedding favors aren't completely necessary. Originally they were just sugared almonds and then things got a bit more complicated.

Which is why we like this simple idea of offering guests flower seeds to remember the wedding. They're inexpensive but memorable and have a great deal of charm.

Today we thought we'd show you nine completely different Dessy weddings, with bridesmaids dressed in nine completely different styles of dress.

We know girls have different figures, different complexions and different personalities - which is why we offer such a variety of different designs, different necklines, different lengths, different fabrics, different colours.

But the best way of showing you this is by showing happy bridesmaids who know they are looking gorgeous.

Let's see how these brides got the look.

1. Rocking the Dessy twist wrap dress in greys

Look at the top left picture and you'll see the bride with her entourage of maids all dressed in our ever-popular Twist Wrap dress. She's let them each choose slightly different shades of silver and grey and most importantly, let them wrap the necklines themselves so they are showing off their best features. No wonder they are smiling. All these frocks are floor length, which provides visual continuity and best of all, these frocks are going to be taken out from the closet again and again. Twist wrap dresses are just so versatile!

2. Halter necklines

3. A masterclass in ombre

Look below and you'll see how to get ombre in shades of mauve and purple absolutely right. Again, this gives you the opportunity to let your maids choose a color that suits them best - and again they've all got different necklines on their frocks (so they are doubly happy). Check out Dessy frocks in Passion,Tahiti, Dahlia and Plum shades to get a similar look.

4. Delicate pinks

To the right is the quintessential wedding in soft pinks. A light pink or blush demands a soft flowing fabric to set it off beautifully and we love this chiffon bridesmaid style chosen here. So perfect for a romantic summer wedding day.

5. Making pastels work harder

This bride really thought it through. She styled up her big day to perfection by getting the bridegroom and groomsmen to wear pale grey suits that worked perfectly with her bridesmaids pale pink gowns. We love this. (Get the bridesmaid look here).

6. Adding drama

7. Sparkling sequins

To our left we have a bridesmaid frocks in sequins. Because we think sequins are just too pretty and perfect to be kept for evening affairs. Why not sparkle your way through the afternoon and carry on as the sun goes down? Get the look with a Dessy sequinned bridesmaid gown here.

9. It doesn't have to be a bridesmaid dress

If you're not sure - mix it up with different tops and skirts, in different styles and fabrics. We have sequinned bridesmaid tops, chiffon tops, or you could have a sequinned top with a chiffon skirt. And just about any color you can think of. Or maybe some maids wear a dress, the others mix it up. As choices go, this is a happy one.

You'll probably guess that the bride and groom are artistic, with plenty of creative ideas.

In fact, the bride was a fashion designer and the groom a fine artist. And doesn't it just show. Plenty of colorful, confident, inspirational touches to adapt for your own big day.

Thinking about boho weddings

Mismatched bridesmaids dresses are a must

Don't worry about different necklines and hemlines ... it's all part of the look

There's no rule that says the bride has to wear white or cream - a colored underskirt peeking out is very boho

Same with shoes ... no rule for white or cream shoes

A floral head garland channelling Lana Del Ray is very boho

Bridesmaids

The maids here are all wearing pink - so there's a bit of a theme going on. But it's not the same pink at all.

This bride's chosen hot pink, rose pink, blush and a dusky pink. Possibly the maids got to choose the shades themselves - and the style of their frocks.

And the boho bride?

I love the bride's dress. She's obviously the bride but it's pretty far away from a traditional white wedding dress and suits her to perfection. The delicate tapering lace on the bodice is spot on, and her decision to leave her hair au naturel just suits her look.

On the other hand, we love her satin headband as well, which you can see in some of these photographs.

Other boho bits and pieces to notice

Casually arranged flowers in jam jars

Asking the guests to take the flowers home with them

The groom's buttonhole

Homemade pies (ask your baking friends to make them for you if they want)

Weddings aren't 'cookie cutter'

How you display your individuality and taste on your wedding day is entirely up to you.

You don't have to dress your bridesmaids exactly the same

You don't have to have a cream or ivory dress

You don't have to have a white tiered wedding cake

You don't have to wear a veil

You can get married morning, afternoon or early evening

We found this great inspiration for mis-matched bridesmaid outfits via Easy Dreamer Photography to help give you some inspiration into the great world of 'anything goes' when it comes to bridesmaids. These girls aren't dressed like traditional bridesmaids at all - but this look really works, particularly if you're a bohemian, quirky sort of a bride.

Oh, and we love the idea of using globe artichokes as table decorations. A real talking point.

Couples now have so many options to personalize their Big Day. From decorations to venues you can make your wedding into exactly what you've envisioned.

One great way to individualize your day is through fashion. Bridesmaids can now wear matching dresses, mis-matched dresses, homemade dresses or evening gowns. Now, of course we at Dessy are partial to dresses, but love the trends of having a rainbow of colors where each bridesmaid wears a different color. Or, having the same color but on a different dress for each maid.

Look through these images and this bride really hasn't chosen traditional wedding colors at all. And yet the photographs are still romantic and dreamy.

That's because she's really worked out her color choices and cleverly threaded through some similar hues. Check the mustard coloured frock which works perfectly with the acid green of the flowers. The floral dresses. The blue beads matching the nail polish choices.

LaBelle Bride, one of my favorite wedding blogs full of truly unique and beautiful inspiration brings you this guest post. I was so excited when she agreed to do it as I am constantly in awe of the blog's amazing posts. Full of inspiration, DIY ideas and real weddings, LaBelle Bride is a must stop for your wedding planning inspiration.

Whether I like it or not, by mid-August I start compulsively thinking: "The end of summer is coming. it's almost over."

Depressing? Yes and no. I love summer, however I have an equal love for all things fall. The colors, the crisp autumn air and let's not even start with fall fashion (my obsession with boots is a little unhealthy). And let's face it, many of your brides are prepping for an epic autumn wedding and need a little fall wedding inspiration. So I present to thee Casey and Bethany's Arizona fall wedding. In all its orange, yellow and green glory. Enjoy the fresh pop of autumn color - I know I did!

Things to look out for at this wedding

The olive green silk of the bridesmaids dresses. This is a perfect day-to-night color. It works for day because it's enlivened with the sunflower bouquets and casual hair. But come the evening, these girls can hit the dance floor in style.

Love the bride's lace shrug. If you want to wear a strapless dress but want to be a little more covered up at the ceremony, then a delicate lace shrug would work perfectly. It also gives you two wedding looks for the day. Wear the shrug when you want to be formal - and then take it off when the festivities start and the party begins!

This is a gorgeous idea. A wedding not outside in a vineyard but inside the winery itself! The barrels of wine offset with beautiful lighting and a candle lit floor make a great looking backdrop. A reception amongst the vines with feminine details of lace and flowers with, of course, great tasting wine, make this one favorite day to remember.

Why hold your wedding in a winery?

Well first off, you're almost certainly going to have a fabulous choice of wines for your guests. If that's the case, then don't forget to plan the food around the wine you have chosen - this is something your caterer can help you with.

Secondly, the scenery is almost certainly going to be rural, rustic and gorgeous. There will be rows of vines in the background and some picturesque barns too. Also, as you can see, a winery gives you a ready-made theme for your big day.

You can use wine labels as a theme for your save the dates, your invitations and your table plans. Call each table after a different wine or grape: Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc ... you get the idea.

A wedding in a winery also lends itself beautifully to a rustic theme. There are probably going to be some barrels around which you can use for props and of course you can set the reception tables up out of doors, as this couple has done.

There are a few touches at this wedding that jump out at us. Let's see. The groom's boutonniere or buttonhole, which is simply a big fat rose bud. The bride's cowboy boots (you don't want to be tip-toeing around a winery in high heels, that's for sure).

We also love the simplicity of the cake. It's pretty and elegant but it's not over the top. This isn't a glitzy city centre wedding, it's a rural event and the cake reflects this.

Red cowboy boots for the bride - very sassy and great for the photographs!

Check out the cake table. Mm hm.. This couple OWNED the day by not having a cake tier - but having different cakes laid out on a cake table, doubtless in different flavors. (Because one flavor doesn't suit all, does it?)

And yet - with the addition of some well-chosen lace, this wedding is dreamily romantic too. The bride's classic gown is traditional and classy, and we love the detailing on the bodice. Wear a gown like this and you'll probably want to wear your hair in an updo - at least to start - all the better to show off the decorative neckline.

Spot the touches of blue too, which weave their way throughout these images. On the groomsmen, on their sky-blue ties and buttonholes and in the flowers on the bridesmaid's bouquet and the bride's showstopper.

Some evocative old vintage touches here to go with the historic red barn. Check the calendar from 1937, the old wagon decorated with bunting ...

The more we look at this wedding the more we realise how beautifully simple it actually is - this is not a grand location but it's historic and memorable and with some cleverly chosen props the bride has made it all her own for her big day.

We love featuring weddings from different cultures - and this Cambodian wedding day is no exception.

If you're invited to the marriage of Cambodian friends, then you will notice that the day is made up of different ceremonies. A gong signals the arrival of the couple to each stage of the wedding - making a clear announcement that something new lies ahead!

There'll be lots of music, a lavish dinner banquet, gifts and plenty of people.

Traditional instruments play songs and there is usually a master of ceremonies who guides everybody through what is happening. The ceremony might in fact take a couple of days.

You'll see silver or gold trays, candles, flowers, decorations, fruits. You'll notice that it's all very colorful, as shown in this wedding day. A lot of time is taken to present food in time-honored ways, which haven't really changed much over the years.

The couple getting married will wear co-ordinating colors, with the wedding outfits made of bright silks. Cambodian brides will change their dress frequently at different parts of the ceremony, and sometimes the outfits get more elaborate as the day progresses. In some cases this culminates in all-gold silk outfits as the couple is royalty for the day!

Guests mingle, watch the ceremony, interact, enjoy food whilst kids run around and play. It's relaxed but there's still a structure.

If the couple are from different cultures, they may well decide to mingle different aspects of the wedding ceremony from each of their backgrounds.

In this wedding you'll notice the Cambodian knot-tying ceremony - Sompeas Ptem - where guests personally bestow blessings and well wishes on the couple and tie red strings around the bride and groom's wrists.

Enjoy these photographs - our favorite is the one of the elderly relatives laughing and having a wonderful time!

Check the bridesmaid dresses

These bridesmaids look sooo happy in their frocks. And you know what? Maybe, just maybe, it's because they're wearing mis-matched bridesmaid dresses.

Well - not exactly mis-matched - the color follows a theme. It's just that this bride has obviously allowed each of her maids the opportunity to choose a style that suits their own individual figure.

So it's a halter-neck bridesmaid dress style for one. Strapless for another. And different dress lengths all the way. (You can find similar pink Bridesmaid dresses here at Dessy.)

The result? Happy, smiling images with girls that feel confident they're looking their very best.

Anyway, where were we? Oh yes, Newport Beach. This is a largely DIY wedding with some great touches for you to think about using on your own big day. Nothing over fussy or that took too much time. So see what would work for you ...

Check out these details on the photographs

Bridesmaid bouquets tied with lace and used as decoration at the ceremony in simple Mason jars

Simple dahlias, rosebuds and grasses in said bridesmaid bouquets. It doesn't have to be fussy you know

A DIY French fries bar, complete with mayo, ketchup, mustard. What's not to like?

Mason jars hung in the tree branches, complete with candles for lighting up the evening later

Light grey suit for the groom that worked perfectly with the pink theming

A old-fashioned burger van for hungry guests

Luggage tag guest book

The sunlight flowing through the images

Mis-matched shoes for the bridesmaids. They all got the look right but didn't have to wear anything a) uncomfortable b) that didn't suit them c) could choose their own heel heights